Warangal Fort – The Kakatiya Stronghold
I had a serious disagreement about Warangal with Alok, my cousin. He insisted the place was a one-horse town, as he had been there. I believed Wikipedia, which listed it as the third-largest city in Telangana. Reaching Warangal settled this debate. The town was tiny. But, this seat of the Kakatiya Dynasty houses the Warangal Fort. That made me research more.
Either a smart piece of gerrymandering or just plain administrative convenience had the authorities club three cities into one. A closer look at its Wikipedia page revealed the mention of Warangal Tri-City comprising Kazipet, Hanamkonda, and Warangal.
Today’s Telangana forms just a small part of the Kakatiya kingdom. At its peak, the kingdom stretched from parts of Tamil Nadu in the south to a large portion of Karnataka in the west, to the south-western tip of Odisha in the East, while Andhra and Telangana formed its middle and north. Little wonder the entire region displays some influence of Kakatiyas in its medieval structures.
Innovative Bulwark of Warangal Fort
The city has a glorious past. Kakatiyas shifted their capital from Hanamkonda to Warangal in the 13th century. That was when they built Warangal Fort. While the fort had three concentric peripheral walls, the innermost circular wall with a diameter of 1.2 km encloses the bulk of the Kakatiya kingdom’s heritage.
The times when the enemy breached forts using elephants and cannons, this wall was almost impregnable. From its base to its 29-feet high top, long granite beams stacked up in a stepped formation lined this wall. Each beam must weigh between 8 and 10 tonnes. While this formation provided immense strength, it also gave easy access to the top for the soldiers, giving them an upper hand during a siege or a battle. Water bodies inside the fort precinct were another strategic advantage.
The Scattered Heritage Within
Two eras coexist in the circular fort precinct. As a lived-in fort, the northern part houses an entire locality. And, the medieval heritage lies scattered in the middle, in the fort’s archaeological park. This is where the ancient Swayambhu (self-manifested) Shiva temple once was. Four imposing Hamsa Toranas (gateways) formed its entrance from 4 directions – a departure from gopurams of the south Indian temples. In fact, these toranas are like those in Sanchi Stupa. And, Telangana government has incorporated it as part of the state emblem.
All stones scattered in this 2-acre park narrate the tales of the glory of the Kakatiya period. Shaped and sculpted to perfection, these sculptures range from dancers to lions, gods to elephants, and flowers to religious offerings. In fact, these sculpted pillars, toranas, and other friezes rank on par with the stone carving excellence we know India for.
As a fort that has seen many a battle and siege, the unscathed artefacts in the archaeological park surprise you. Start drawing up your Warangal itinerary as I’ll share more stunners from the Kakatiya Kingdom in the coming weeks.
Pin this sculpted heritage.
